Dental font



March 17, 1953 H. FREEDMAN 2,631,299

DENTAL FONT Filed Dec. 15, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 INVENTOR. HYMAWHPEEDM/i/v March 17, 1953 H. FREEDMAN 2,531,299

' DENTAL FONT Filed Dec. 15, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I N V EN TOR. flmM/vHarm/WW A TTORNE Y Patented Mar. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE21531399 DENTAL FONT Hymn/ 11 Freedman, New York, N. Y. Applicationilecember 15, 1948, Serial No. 65,329

This invention relates to im rovements in dental fonts and has for oneof its objects to provide an improved construction of font wherein aquantity of medicament, such as mouth wash, may be automaticallysupplied in solution with each cup of water drawn from the font.

Another object is to support a medicament container in communicationwith a water reservoir and connected auxiliary chamber in such mannerthat the flow of liquid through said reservoir and chamber will cause apressure to be created in said container which, upon cessation of saidflow, will have the effect of discharging therefrom a limited quantityof medicament into said auxiliary chamber to form a solution with thewater therein which will be subsequently discharged therefrom when saidflow is again turned on.

Another object is to mount the auxiliary chamber so that the same may beadjusted from a normal to a draining position to enable the solutiontherein to be discharged without the neces sity of turning on the flowof water through the A further object is to increase the temperature ofthe solution to be discharged from the font by providing said reservoiror said auxiliary chamber, or both, with a heating ele-- ment.

The above and other objects will appearmore clearly from the followingdetailed description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawings: 7 V

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of a dentalfont constructed in ac cordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view in front elevation, the dot and dash linesindicating the drainage position of the auxiliary chamber;

Fig. 3 is a section on the 1; and H V I 4 is a section on the line 4-4of "Fig. l.

The invention is shown in its application to a dental font of well knownconstruction which comprises a hollow pedestal 5 (Fig. '2) constitutinga drain and provided with a laterally extending drain pipe 6 whichsupports the usual cuspidor 1. The upper end of the pedestal 5terminates in a housing 8 in which is mounted the usual main controlvalve 9 having the various positions indicated on the housing. Whenusing a saliva ejector, the valve is turned to the suetion" position andwhen desiring to flush the fine '3=-'3 of Fig.

cuspidor l, the valve is turned to the flush position to direct thewater from the source of supply into the branch pipe It and thence intothe downwardly inclined extension ll thereof which leads into saidcuspidor. The third operative or water position of the valve 9 directsthe flow into the branch pipe l2 which extends upwardly through thehousing. The constructionthus far described is well known and needs nofurther amplification. From the pipe f2, water flows into the bottom ofthe circular res-'- ervoir l3 which is kept filled from said source.Said reservoir is connected to the housing 8 by a suitable coupling l4and has a central drainageopening 15 in the bottom thereof through whichexcess liquid may flow into the hollow pedestal 5.

The top wall of the reservoir 13 is depressed and its bottom is inclinedas indicated at l6 so as to guide the cup holder H and its cup I8 to acentral position where said holder abuts against a shoulder E9 to thusmaintain the cup in proper position to receive liquid in a manner toappear in the course of the description. Within the water chamber formedby the reservoir and adjacent the inlet of the pipe :2, there is mountedapartition 20 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 which causes the waterentering said chamber to circulate counterclockwise as viewed in saidfigure before exiting into the small outlet pipe 2| and thencedownwardly into the lower end of a normally vertically arrangedauxiliary tubu lar chamber 22. The upper end of said chamber hasextending laterally therefrom the restricted outlet pipe 23 the outerend of which is disposed directly over the cup [8 when the chamber 22 isin normal position. The pipe 23 may have a valve 24 as is customary butthe use of said valve in the present construction is optional. Theconnection of the lower end of the chamber 22 with the pipe 2! providesa pivot'al mounting for said chamber whereby the same may be swung tothe downwardly inclined position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2wherein the outer end of the pipe 23 is located directly over thecuspidor I. This adjustment of the chamber 22 and pipe 23 is providedfor the purpose of draining the contents of said chamber for use by apatient when he desires to cleanse a denture before handing it to thedentist for inspection, after which the chamber and pipe 23 may be swungback to their normal positions.

Means are provided for raising the temperature of the liquid in thereservoir and auxiliary 3 chamber so as to reduce the possibility ofpain to a patient caused by a cold liquid when the content of the cup i8is used as a mouth rinse. For heating the reservoir, a heat conductingring 25 is supported in the bottom of said reservoir adjacent the drainopening i in thermal contact with said reservoir. Embedded in said ringis the heating element which may be a coil 26 by means of which thebottom and walls of the reservoir are heated only sumcientl to raise thetemperature of the water contained therein to a degree to remove thechill therefrom. Some of the heat from the coil 26 will also passupwardly through the drain I5 and thus warm the contents of the cup |8through the opening H in the bottom of the holder l The chamber 22 mayalso be provided with a heating element 21 therein to maintain liquid insaid chamber at the desired temperature. A terminal block 28 is mountedon housing 8 and is provided with contacts 29 adapted to be engaged bywipers 32 connected to the heating element 21 when the chamber 22 is innormal position. Said contacts 28 are also connected, by conductors 3|,to the terminals of the heating element or coil 26, and a conductor 32(Fig. 4) is joined to a source of current supply through a step-downtransformer (not shown).

The construction as thus far described enables the flow of a clear andtemperate supply of water from the source through the reservoir into theoutlet pipe 2| and thence into the auxiliary chamber 22 and through theoutlet pipe 23 when the valve 9 is turned to the water position. Becauseof this flow, a pressure is created in the reservoir and pipe 2|, anddue to the restricted nature of the pipe 23 the water will flowtherethrough with the desired velocity.

The invention further provides means for supplying a limited quantity ofmedicament to the auxiliary chamber 22 to form a mouth wash solutiontherein, the medicament being of greater specific gravity than water.For this purpose, there is provided a medicament container 33 which ismounted upon the top Wall of the reservoir l3 and which is of arcuateformation in cross section so as to conform to the contour of the wallupon which it rests. The top of the container has a closure 34 groovedto frictionally receive the pipe 23 when the latter is in normalposition. By swinging the pipe slightly to one side, the closure 34,which may be threaded intothe top of the container, is removable whenrefilling the container with a medicament. The top of said containeralso has mounted therein an air vent valve 35 of conventionalconstruction which admits air into the container when the valve is openand closes under influence of pressure within the container, as willpresently appear. The lower end of the container 33 is provided with arestricted outlet 36 in direct communication with the upper end of thepipe 2i and, consequently, with the chamber.

In operation, upon opening the valve 9 to the "water position, pressurewill be created in the reservoir l3 and communicated to the pipe 2|where it will enter the outlet 36 of the container 33, and this pressurewill build up in the air space at the top of said container by closingthe air vent 35. The flow of water through the reservoir and auxiliarychamber will then discharge a solution of medicament and water mixed insaid chamber by a previous operation, and if the flow of water isallowed to continue after discharge of the solution, clear and coldwater will then flow through the pipe 23 for drinking purposes. Uponclosure of the main valve, pressure in the reservoir and pipe 2| isreduced to zero and the pressure in the top of the container 33 now actsto discharge a small quantity of medicament into the chamber 22 throughthe pipe 2| to mix with the water therein. As said pressure becomeseffective, the air vent valve will open by reason of the tendency tocreate a vacuum therein as the liquid level lowers and atmosphere isthen admitted to the container. When the weight of the liquid in thecontainer equalizes with that of the column of the solution now in theauxiliary chamber, the system becomes stable and is ready for the nextopening of the valve 9.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dentalfont, a water reservoir having connection to a source ofsupply, an auxiliary chamber in communication with said reservoir andhaving an outlet, a medicament container connected to said auxiliarychamber and to said reservoir for receiving pressure therefrom when.said supply is turned on, valve means in said. container controlling theflow of medicament therefrom into said auxiliary chamber when said watersupply is shut off, and means to heat the contents of said reservoir andchamber.

2. In a dental font, a water reservoir having connection to a source ofsupply, an auxiliary chamber in communication with said reservoir andhaving an outlet, means to mountsaid auxiliary chamber for movement to adraining posi-' tion, a medicament container connected to said auxiliarychamber and to said reservoir for receiving pressure therefrom when saidsupply is turned on, and valve means in said container controlling theflow of medicament therefrom into said auxiliary chamber when said watersupply is shut ofi.

3. In a dental font, a water reservoir having connection to a source ofsupply, an auxiliary. chamber in communication with said reservoir andhaving an outlet, a medicament container having a restricted outletconnecting the same to said reservoir and chamber for receiving pressurefrom said source of supply through said reservoir, when said supply isturned on and for feeding a. limited supply of medicament to saidauxiliary chamber under the influence of said pressure. when said supplyis shut off, valve means in said container for controlling said pressureto thereby limit the amount of medicament flowing from said container,and a heating element mounted in said auxiliary chamber. Y r

4. In a dental font, a Water reservoir having connection to a source ofsupply, an auxiliary chamber in communication with said reservoir andhaving an outlet, a medicament container having a restricted outletconnecting the same to said reservoir and chamber for receiving pressurefrom said source of. supplythrough said reservoir. when said supply isturned on and for feeding a limited supply of medicament to saidauxiliary chamberv under the infiuenceof .saidpressure When said supplyis shut off, valve means in said container for controlling said pressureto thereby limit the amount of medicament flowing from said container, aheating element mounted in said auxiliary chamber, and means to mountthe lat ter chamber for movement to drainage position.

5. In a dental font, a water reservoir having connection to a source ofsupply, an elongated vertically disposed auxiliary chamber mountedexteriorly of said reservoir and extending abovethe same, a medicamentcontainer supported on.

said reservoir and having a valve controlled air vent, an outlet pipeconnecting said reservoir with the lower end of said auxiliary chamberand also having a restricted connection with the lower end of saidcontainer, and an outlet pipe for said auxiliary chamber extending fromthe upper end thereof.

6. In a dental font, a water reservoir having a recessed upper surfaceprovided with a drainage opening, an elongated vertically disposedauxiliary chamber mounted exteriorly of said reservoir and extendingabove the same, a medicament container supported on said reservoir andhaving a valve controlled air vent, an outlet pipe connecting saidreservoir with the lower end of said chamber and also having arestricted connection with the lower end of said container, and anoutlet pipe for said auxiliary chamber extending laterally therefrom andover said container and having its outlet end disposed above thedrainage opening in said reservoir.

'7. In a dental font, a water reservoir having an inlet pipe connectedthereto, an elongated auxiliary chamber mounted exteriorly of saidreservoir, a medicament container supported on said reservoir and havinga valve controlled air vent, an outlet pipe connecting said reservoirwith one 6 end of said auxiliary chamber and also having a restrictedconnection with the lower end of said container, a partition in saidreservoir between said inlet and outlet pipes for producing a circuitousflow of water from the former to the latter pipe, means to heat thewater as it flows through said reservoir and an outlet pipe for saidauxiliary chamber extending from its other end and over said reservoir.

FREEDMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 219,388 Comins Sept. 9, 1879229,098 Comins June 22, 1889 1,069,912 Tobriner Aug. 12, 1913 1,264,772Butler Apr. 30, 1918 1,722,221 Hutchinson July 23, 1929 2,372,360Cornelius Mar. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 10,466 GreatBritain of 1906

